The State Bar seized the Livermore practice of Robin Groth-Hill, aka Robin Hill, doing business as California Legal Services, announced Chief Trial Counsel George Cardona.
After receiving multiple complaints that she performed legal services and duties only a licensed California attorney can perform, the Office of Chief Trial Counsel (OCTC) obtained an interim ruling from the Superior Court of Alameda County authorizing OCTC to seize files at Groth-Hill’s office on Pleasant View Lane. Groth-Hill is not and has never been licensed to practice law in California.
One complaint came in July 2023 from a court commissioner in the Superior Court of Santa Clara County who was overseeing a landlord-tenant small-claims case. The commissioner noticed that what turned out to be Groth-Hill’s address was listed on multiple court documents as the plaintiff’s address and, in one instance, Groth-Hill was designated as the process server for those documents. The plaintiff told the court that he was not related to Groth-Hill but that she was “his attorney,” and that she had told him all the documents must have the same address.
The commissioner furthered discovered that Groth-Hill caused a subpoena to be served on the defendant’s bank, but provided no proof that the defendant was served with notice as required. Groth-Hill also texted the defendant to negotiate terms of a settlement in the case. After the commissioner checked the State Bar website, she found that Groth-Hill was not a licensed attorney and had previously received a Cease and Desist notice from the State Bar for the unauthorized practice of law (UPL).
In another complaint from January 2023, OCTC heard from a tenant who was in a dispute with her landlord. Groth-Hill stated to the tenant that she was assisting the landlord as a “legal assistant” or a “legal aid.” Groth-Hill told the tenant that if she did not accept a cash for keys offer from the landlord, the landlord could give the tenant a 60-day termination notice and ask her to leave the rental unit. The tenant refused the offer and ultimately reported Groth-Hill to the State Bar.
“Californians should know that the unauthorized practice of law—and those who engage in it—can negatively impact the lives of those who pay for what they believe is legitimate attorney advice but receive something less, as well as parties on all sides of a legal issue,” said Chief Trial Counsel Cardona. “We encourage the public to check the State Bar website to ensure that attorneys they hire are licensed and in active status, and to review our county listings for people and businesses they should avoid that have received Cease and Desist letters for engaging in the unauthorized practice of law.”
During the seizure, which occurred on May 29, 2024, OCTC seized 15 boxes with approximately 200 client files.
Clients or former clients of Robin Groth-Hill, Robin Hill, or California Legal Services seeking the return of their files may contact the State Bar’s dedicated phone number at 415-538-2380.
The State Bar has a unit dedicated to investigating and addressing UPL. People who have been targeted by someone who is not licensed to practice law can file a unauthorized practice of law complaint with the State Bar. There is no cost, and U.S. citizenship is not required; the State Bar will not ask complainants about their citizenship or immigration status. The online complaint form is available in English, Spanish, Russian, Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese.
As a warning to the public, the names of those who have received Cease and Desist notices are posted, by county, on the State Bar website.
